Travel Jabs on the NHS Versus Privately: What Is Free and What You Pay For
Some travel vaccines are free through the NHS. Others are only available privately, and you pay for these yourself. Many travellers assume that if a vaccine is recommended for their trip, it must be free, but this is not how NHS funding works. The difference between free and private vaccines is based on NHS funding rules and public health guidance, rather than how important a vaccine may be for your particular trip. Understanding this distinction early helps you budget properly and book the right appointments in good time before you travel.
Which travel vaccines are free on the NHS?
A small group of travel vaccines are usually free through your GP surgery. These typically include polio, given as a combined diphtheria, tetanus and polio jab, along with typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera, where clinically indicated for your trip.
These vaccines are available free because the illnesses they protect against can also pose a wider public health risk in the UK.
Which travel vaccines do you pay for privately?
Most destination-specific vaccines are private, including yellow fever, hepatitis B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, meningitis ACWY and tick-borne encephalitis. Our Hepatitis A vaccine and combined Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccine pages set out what each appointment involves.
Why aren’t all travel vaccines free?
NHS funding for travel vaccines follows public health guidance, not personal travel risk. Diseases with wider transmission potential in the UK tend to sit on the free list. Vaccines protecting mainly the individual traveller usually sit outside NHS funding.
Being free or private does not mean one vaccine is more important than another. What you need depends on where you are going and what you will be doing there.
NHS vs private: what’s the real difference in your appointment?
An NHS appointment covers only the funded vaccines your GP practice offers, and availability varies between surgeries. A private travel clinic appointment lets you combine NHS-eligible and private vaccines in a single visit, based on a full risk assessment for your destination, activities and health history.
Many travellers find it easier to arrange everything privately in one appointment, particularly ahead of a trip with a tight timeline.
Travel clinics in Wembley and Stonebridge
Our Travel Clinic serves patients across Wembley and Stonebridge. We assess your destination, discuss which vaccines apply, and explain the cost of each private option before you commit. This guidance does not replace an individual travel health risk assessment.
To check which vaccines suit your trip, book an appointment with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What are the first signs of shingles?
The first signs of shingles often include tingling, burning pain, itching or skin sensitivity on one side of the body before a rash appears.
How long before the rash do shingles symptoms start?
Early shingles symptoms may begin several days before the rash develops. Some people experience nerve pain or tingling first.
What does early shingles feel like?
Early shingles may feel like burning, stabbing or tingling pain. The skin can also become sensitive or painful to touch.
Can shingles start without a rash?
Yes. Some people experience pain, tingling or sensitivity before any visible rash develops.
Is shingles contagious?
Shingles itself is not passed from person to person. However, the virus can cause chickenpox in someone who has never had chickenpox or the vaccine.
When should I worry about shingles symptoms?
You should seek medical advice quickly if the rash affects the eyes, symptoms are severe or you feel generally unwell.